11Lopez, 12, should expect to get on base because that's the way things have been going for the last three months. Lopez had a batting average of .960 and an on-base percentage of .980 during the regular season in Amesbury Little League. He also dominated on the mound, serving as his team's ace, allowing a total of two hits all season.

Now Lopez is attempting to lead the Amesbury All-Star team to a District 15 Little League title. He was pivotal in the team's first tournament victory last Monday, when he earned the victory in a 2-1 defeat of Hamilton-Wenham. He allowed one hit in 51âÑ3 innings while tallying 13 strike outs. He also went 1 for 2 with two walks.

Following that game, Hamilton-Wenham coach Mark Michel said, "If he (Lopez) isn't the best (pitcher) in the district, he is as good as anybody. He is probably as good as anyone in the whole state."

Amesbury will face Salem American tonight (7 p.m.) in Beverly. Amesbury must win three more games to clinch a District 15 title.

Lopez, a student at Amesbury Middle School, also plays for the New England Firebirds — an AAU team. In that league, the mound is expanded to 60 feet, 6 inches, rather than the 45 feet in Little League. Lopez said he was clocked at 68 miles per hour earlier this season.

"All-Stars is more like playing for the Firebirds because I'm pitching to better hitters," Lopez said. "We're really good. Last year, we were second in the country (in the 11-year-old division)."

Lopez said he hit 17 home runs for the Firebirds in a 45-game season this spring. The 5-foot-6, 125-pound standout hit six home runs during the Little League season.

His father, Frank Lopez, is the coach of the Little League All-Star team.

"In Little League, a lot of kids are still learning the game," Frank Lopez said. "So Brandon has a little more experience than everyone else because he's playing AAU baseball. But you can't win with one player."

By Little League rules, a pitcher can only throw 85 pitches per game and cannot pitch more than six innings per week. So Amesbury will go to Ben Collins and Zack Fitzgerald in tonight's game for the pitching duties.

One piece of bad news for the Amesbury High baseball community: Lopez would like to attend St. John's Prep or Austin Prep at the high school level.

"I'd rather go to a private school so I'll have a better chance of getting a scholarship to college."